All-in-one version

Director’s Corner

So far, so good, with much more to accomplish

Gratitude is certainly among my primary emotions as I look back on my first year as director of the California’s Department of Transportation. It has been quite the ride, so to speak, as together we have traveled great distances and done much meaningful work.

Let us take a step back and acknowledge the past year’s highlights, many of which are listed in the 2022 Caltrans Annual Accomplishments Report, released this summer.

The annual report, which was first produced for 2020, is framed in the context of Caltrans’ six strategic goals: safety first, cultivating excellence, stewardship and efficiency, multimodal transportation network, climate action and equity and livability. Those goals, in turn, are consonant with Caltrans’ “Core Four” fundamental principles: safety, equity, climate action and economic prosperity.

Here's a quick look at those four principles and some of the ways in how we have addressed them this past year.

Safety: To achieve our ambitious goal of zero fatalities on our state’s transportation system by 2050, we have implemented what is known as the “Safe System Approach.” The approach recognizes that humans make mistakes, humans are vulnerable, and responsibility for safety is shared.

Equity: We have recently merged our Sustainability and Race and Equity Offices to form the new Office of Equity, Sustainability & Tribal Affairs. Our intention is to promote and advance holistic, integrated, and restorative policies to planning, building, and advocating for a more just transportation system.

Climate action: Our department is conducting a historic shift to reduce our use of non-renewable energy and working hard to simultaneously prevent further negative impacts to our climate. For example, Caltrans worked with the State Transportation Agency and others to develop the California Climate Action Plan for Transportation Infrastructure.

Economic prosperity: This fourth foundational principle of our Core Four is an integral part of Caltrans’ role in planning and building equitable, sustainable and safe projects for all.

In other positive developments, we are reaping the benefits of some of the largest infrastructure investments in our history thanks in large part to the Federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) in 2021. Over the past 18 months, our state has received more than $20 billion in IIJA funding that empowers us to rebuild California across our many transportation platforms.

We also can point to advances in our Clean California, Complete Streets, fleet-electrification and Middle Mile Broadband efforts, among many others, in addition to the vital, ongoing work we constantly perform to improve and maintain our multimodal transportation network.

We have a lot to celebrate – particularly during this golden year of Caltrans’ 50^th anniversary – but, as always, we have more to do. Thank you for helping us achieve all we can in the months and years ahead, and as always, stay safe.

News

Eleven colleagues awarded Medals of Valor

Note: The following news release was distributed on June 21 by Headquarters’ Public Affairs Office.

The State of California today honored 11 Caltrans employees with the Governor’s State Employee Medal of Valor, the highest honors California bestows on its public servants. The awards are given to state employees for acts of heroism that go beyond the normal call of duty and at great personal risk to protect state property or save lives.

“These 11 Caltrans workers courageously saved others while putting their own lives at risk,” said Caltrans Director Tony Tavares. “Today, we join Governor Gavin Newsom in honoring them and showing our gratitude for their selfless acts. We are extremely proud that they are part of our Caltrans family.

• Caltrans Landscape Maintenance Worker Brian Rubalcava and Highway Maintenance Worker Jason Lofton were awarded the Silver Medal of Valor for their heroic act during a dangerous rescue in extreme cold weather down steep terrain to save a couple after their vehicle went over a snow-covered embankment in Siskiyou County on Dec. 19, 2021.
• Caltrans Equipment Operators Jeremy Maraviov, Scott Davidson and Trevor Gipson were awarded with the Silver Medal of Valor for saving a father and young son after their car went down a steep embankment in Trinity County on Dec. 26, 2021.



• Caltrans Highway Maintenance Worker Nicholas Macias and Equipment Operator Robert Hernandez were awarded the Silver Medal of Valor for saving a man trapped inside a burning vehicle in Merced on Aug. 3, 2022.
• Caltrans Equipment Operator Roberto Lopez was awarded the Gold Medal of Valor for rescuing a colleague who was trapped in a burning vehicle after an incident with a cargo truck in San Diego County on May 26, 2022.
• Caltrans Maintenance Area Superintendent Cody Collins and Transportation Engineering Technician Jeffrey Scardine were awarded the Silver Medal of Valor for rescuing a student who fell while taking a bank scaling and rock-climbing course in Kingvale on Oct. 6, 2022. The student was dangling by rope, putting him into a life-threatening situation. Collins and Scardine quickly assessed the situation, rappelled, and transferred the student safely to the ground, saving his life.
• Caltrans Highway Maintenance Worker William Miller was awarded the Silver Medal of Valor for rescuing a woman after her vehicle struck Miller’s in the early morning of Jan. 21, 2020, in Placer County. Despite his injuries, he selflessly saved the woman in the other vehicle before both vehicles were engulfed in flames.

The State Employee Medal of Valor award is the highest honor California bestows on its public servants. Governor Edmund G. Brown Sr. presented the first awards in 1959. Since then, more than 700 state employees, including 116 Caltrans employees, have earned the honor for their courage and selflessness in the face of danger.

Watch the 2023 Medal of Valor Interview video (0:05:28) including an emotional sharing from one of the survivors and the 2023 Medal of Valor Ceremony video (0:30:56) capturing the poignant moment of their medal presentations and the reading of their incredible stories.

There are no borders during times of disasters

By Nicole Mowers
Headquarters public information officer

It’s the eve of the new year of 2023. People are already popping champagne, making resolutions and ready to ring in the new year ahead of them. What better way to celebrate the new year than with mountains of snow and flash floods across the state of California. Not an ideal way to put the old year behind us and the new year ahead of us.

That was only the beginning. Little did we know, winter was coming, and that it was going to be a long and excruciating three months of storms from January through March.

We got a little preview of what to expect five days before Christmas when a magnitude-6.4 earthquake hit the small quite town of Ferndale, in the northern part of California in Humboldt County.

We were already underway and didn’t even know it yet.

Typically, with any kind of disaster, only a very specific region is impacted. But it’s safe to say that every single region, town and city was, one way or the other, impacted by the diversity of disasters that we experienced. Each disaster is different based on the community that it impacts and its key to identify the needs and resources of each community, in order to help them.

The news headlines were catching the public’s eye with “Pineapple Express” and “Bomb Cyclone.” The mountains where being bombarded with snow, the valley was being flushed out with floods and the coast was having wipeouts and landslides.

Caltrans is one of the largest state departments with staff, equipment and resources. Yet still, it was a huge mission to take on to help the people of California.

It got to a point where crews were working relentlessly, day and night, and equipment started failing on us due to the impact of the storms.

We were in dire need of help and so we reached out to neighboring states Nevada and Oregon for help.

Nevada’s Department of Transportation was equally as impacted with limited resources and it was difficult for them to share their equipment with us.

Then, we turned to the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) and they graciously opened their arms wide open to helping us and the beginning of a beautiful friendship. California and Oregon united to tackle the historic California storms from January through March 2023.

Caltrans and ODOT worked together on implementing an “Interstate Agreement” back in 2012, that states that they will assist each other in operations during times of disasters including but not limited to sharing equipment, salt, sand, etc., overlapping coverage of Interstate 5, as well as “no man’s land” or places that weren’t being taken care of.

At the California/Oregon border, both agencies share a dual use “sand house” that holds sand and salt storage for the roadways. Also, equipment is lined up at the border in case either agency needs to use it.

The good news is that the equipment was prepped and ready to be deployed at any moment; but Caltrans and ODOT never needed the extra equipment in the end because Caltrans was catching up with cleaning the roads.

The inter-district collaboration and movement of mass equipment, as well as staff, was successful in helping the people and communities during these disasters. A rough estimate of 27 storms in total. It was a continuous effect on Caltrans staff and equipment working day and night.

According to the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, Eastern Sierra had a record-breaking snowpack of 296 percent of normal. This broke the previous record held in 1969 that recorded a snowpack of 270 percent of normal. About 50 percent of Caltrans equipment broke down in the midst of these storms.

Caltrans has so many resources that, in the past, we never needed to ask for help from other agencies or states until this year. We worked with what we had.

"The first step to recovery is transportation and opening up those roads to the community," said Gerald Kracher, chief of the Office of Emergency Management in the Division of Maintenance. "The 'feel-good' is not only districts helping district. It's also helping local communities. Caltrans served a local population and making those connections during an emergency."

After the mayhem, there were definitely lessons learned as with challenges there is always learning on what we could do better in the future. An idea is that there be a Caltrans Strike Force where we pre-identify equipment and staff that are re-deployable around the state of California.

In the end, our limits were tested and as a department and as a state, we succeeded the unthinkable.

The storms we experienced will be in the history books and we will tell stories for years and years to come.

Modern Caltrans marks its 50th anniversary

Note :The following press released was distributed by Headquarters Public Affairs on July 18.

Fifty years ago this month, the State of California established a new Department of Transportation (Caltrans) to unify a wide range of transportation functions under a single entity. Since July 1973, the department has managed one of the most complex transportation systems in the nation and helped play a vital role in creating the world’s fourth largest economy. 

Five decades later, Caltrans continues its mission to deliver a best-in-class experience for all Californians, regardless of the mode of travel they choose.  

Please click the link below to view a video from Caltrans Director Tony Tavares highlighting the department’s Golden Anniversary.

Caltrans 50th Anniversary Video

Additionally, to honor the milestone, Caltrans has released an updated history page on its official website. This new content traces the state’s transportation roots from 1895 when the Bureau of Highways was formed and chronicles key developments and noteworthy projects spanning to the present day. 

Click the link below to visit the Caltrans Historical Page.

Caltrans Historical Page

As strong as steel: A DBE success story

Note: This story from the Caltrans Office of Civil Rights spotlights Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Marvella Steel Placers, and its CEO, Jacqueline Pruitt.

Now a successful small business owner, Jacqueline Pruitt was in and out of jail for years until age 23, when her parole officer and mother sent her to the Phoenix Rehabilitation House.

One week before being arrested the final time in 2003, the now 20-year sober addict said she had reached her breaking point and prayed to God to ask Him to remove her from the life she was living. God answered.

“I was ready for a different way of living,” she said. “I kept my mind open, and my mouth closed.”

She spent the next 31 weeks learning life skills, attending Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meetings, and becoming a functioning sober adult. After graduation, the Phoenix House offered Pruitt a job. She worked there for four years until she had an impactful conversation with a friend during the Great Recession, in 2008.

“I was looking for a career change when I saw a friend in construction clothes and asked how much they made,” Pruitt said. “They said $60 an hour, and I said, ‘Where do I sign up?’”

In 2009, the Long Beach resident started a four-year apprenticeship program at the University of Iron, Local 416, where she learned everything she could about rebar. Rebar is steel reinforcing rods used to hold concrete together, despite any cracks or fractures that may occur over time.

Her male counterparts challenged her and told her a woman couldn’t work rebar as well as a man, which she said made her want to succeed at it even more. Pruitt developed a relatable quality of rebar itself: resilience.

“I had to be mentally strong, before becoming physically strong to work just like a man would work,” Pruitt said. “Before I knew it, the guys were saying, ‘She’s here to stay. Let’s mold her.’”

Early in her apprenticeship, Jacqueline realized she wanted to run her own rebar business, so she researched online, found the Los Angeles Regional Contractor Development and Bonding Program, and attended webinars and boot camps to learn how to successfully contract with different general contractors.

She became a lead ironworker on freeway lane additions, bridges, abutments, retaining walls, and barrier rail on State Route (SR)-91 in Southern California; as well as the Port of Los Angeles Berth 200 Rail Yard Project, the Port of Long Beach state-of-the-art Container Terminal and Middle Harbor Project, and the Wilshire Grand Center slab on metal decks (SOMD) project.

After becoming a certified Journeyman Ironworker in 2013, she helped deliver the Hollywood Park Casino – on time and under budget.

In 2016, she passed the Contractor’s State License Board test and established Marvella Steel Placers, which is a certified small, disadvantaged, woman, minority, local, LGBT-owned company. Pruitt named the company after her mother who passed away seven months after she became an ironworker.

“She is my eyes in the skies,” she said. “She loved me unconditionally and believed in me when I did not believe in myself.”

In 2022, Marvella Steel Placers’ 25 employees completed $7 million worth of work. The business is awarded about 15% of the jobs bid on, but she attributes her success to her tenacity, perseverance, and attention to detail.

“I am a small business, competing against multi-million contractors who can take on a low bid just to keep their guys busy,” she said. “My advice to other small businesses is to hold their price, but get familiar with the general contractors, and send them capability statements every time they send out a bid. Call them or go to their office so they can put a face to your name.”

On June 1, 2023, BuildOUT California awarded Pruitt the President’s Award of Achievement. As director of the National Association of Minority Contractors of Southern California, she co-founded the Construction Contractors Alliance (CCA), Inc., to grow and develop underutilized construction businesses at their nexus with underrepresented populations and underserved communities. Pruitt is President of CCA, which is on the California High-Speed Rail Business Advisory Council. She is also a member of the Metro Transportation Business Council, and the California Black Chamber of Commerce, which is a member of the Caltrans Small Business Council.

“Marvella Steel Placers gives me an opportunity to be a part of something bigger than myself,” Pruitt said. “I apply the principles of AA to every part of my life. It works [the business is successful] if I work it. I see it as being of service. I employ people, which allows them to provide for their families. And we work on projects that build hospitals, freeways – and will improve the lives of others for generations to come.”

Hats Off

Mural artists tout Clean CA experiences in Salinas

Note: Work is well underway on Clean California projects on underpasses of U.S. Highway 101 in Salinas. The two artists who designed the murals, MJ Lindo-Lawyer and Joshua Lawyer of Rough Edge Collective, recently contacted District 5 Senior Landscape Architect Corby Kilmer to express gratitude for the opportunity. They wrote:

"Now that we have had some time away from the Salinas Market and Hwy 101 walls, it has allowed us time to reflect back on the job without the aches and pains it took to physically complete the job. We cannot help but think back on, the hundreds of honks we received cheering us on from the cars passing by, the thumbs up and cheering words of encouragement pointed our direction from the passengers in cars. Handing out coffee and pastries and really getting to know the locals in the area who have fallen on bad times and realizing how much this artwork means to them.

"We will never forget the graciousness of the local businesses especially Los Altos restaurant and Carl’s Junior staff for allowing us to use their restrooms and parking lot, and for a quick lunch break during this job. It was also great to see the excitement they had for the mural we were creating. We quickly befriended the folks at the Salinas Kelly Moore which we found ourselves visiting daily. They were so helpful and being from the neighborhood, they were so excited to see the progress on our mural as well as La Neta’s going up just down the block from them.

"It is embarrassing to think about how many times we stood in line at El Charrito’s for their legendary burritos which can only be explained as magical tortillas. We felt extra special when one of the El Charrito employees that was helping us mentioned that she had seen us working on the mural and how excited she was to see it complete. It truly was heartwarming to be spotted out in Salinas by the locals with such warm feedback, from visiting the local laundromat, to picking up supplies at Home Depot, stopping at a local deli and getting great feedback from the community and the countless other encounters. It really put into perspective how much this community appreciated and was following the progress of the murals.

"The installation of this mural took 5 weeks to complete. During those 5 weeks, our home was the Hampton Inn off Work Street in Salinas, where their breakfast and coffee gave us fuel for the day. But more than that, the staff was amazing. By the end of the job, we knew everyone on a first name basis. Rosa, greeted us for breakfast every morning, Hannah would literally sit at our table and vent about her day longing to further her art career and asking us questions about how to do so. JJ and Hope were always excited to see the progress of the murals and always wished us luck as we walked out the doors to start our day. One of the most touching moments of this job was the day we were checking out, we were saying goodbye to the housekeepers who worked our floor, Dulce stopped us and with her eyes welling up, gave us her overwhelming gratitude and conveyed how proud she was that this mural was in Salinas. We could tell from the feedback of multiple housekeepers that the story of the child and the mother really resonated with them.

"We recently returned to the wall to take more photographs and shamelessly stopped by El Charrito to get our burrito fix where we ran into Primo who was the manager at West Coast Storage unit, where we stored our supplies during the job and filled up on water. He was invested during the whole process and was eager to introduce us to his wife and son as the muralists on Market street that he had been telling them about. It really made us feel like Salinas locals stopping by El Charrito, running into a friend, and talking about current life events.

"We hope that what you get from this letter is a fraction of what we have received from the community of Salinas. Even with overcast and ocean weather, it was truly one of the most welcoming and warmest places we have worked. Just this week, officer Michael Rivera of Salinas Police Department reached out stating that he patrols the area, and thanked us for an amazing job. It’s amazing how much of an impact the installation of this mural seems to have created.

"We can’t wait to look back 10 years from now and see how much it has done for the community.

"Thank you Corby for giving us this opportunity and milestone in our careers. We truly appreciate everything you have done. Big thanks to Caltrans for funding this project and believing in how transformative art is for a community."

DOT Shots

In this photo from District 5, Medal of Valor recipients Templeton Area Maintenance Superintendent Cody Collins (left) and Transportation Engineering Technician Jeff Scardine (center) pose with Assembly Member Dawn Addis during a presentation in her San Luis Obispo office.

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Public Paint Day for a mural at the 21st Avenue undercrossing of Highway 99 (SR-99 South Sacramento Clean CA Project)

New Sacramento River silhouette sound-wall paint (SR-99 South Sacramento Clean CA Project)

 

Westbound State Route 91 at Valley View in Anaheim -- before Clean CA project

 

Westbound State Route 91 at Valley View in Anaheim -- after Clean CA project

 

State Route 91 at Harbor/Lemon in Anaheim -- before Clean CA project

 

State Route 91 at Harbor/Lemon in Anaheim -- after Clean CA project

 

State Route 57 at Crowther in Placentia -- before Clean CA project

 

State Route 57 at Crowther in Placentia -- after Clean CA project

 

First Street in Placentia -- before Clean CA project

 

First Street in Placentia -- after Clean CA project

 

Interstate 5 at State Route 55 in Santa Ana -- before Clean CA project

 

Interstate 5 at State Route 55 in Santa Ana -- after Clean CA project

 

Interstate 5 at State Route 55 in Santa Ana -- before Clean CA project

 

Interstate 5 at State Route 55 in Santa Ana -- during Clean CA project

Health and Safety

Pursuing happiness: It’s tempting to reach for something just out of reach

By the Employee Assistance Program

The “pursuit of happiness” is one of the longstanding inalienable rights we enjoy in this country, as espoused by the Declaration of Independence. For hundreds of years, Americans have sought to improve their situations and move forward in as many life realms as possible.

However, insisting on attaining happiness can come with risks. If you’re yearning for happiness, it automatically signifies that you’re not happy right now. It means that your happiness exists at some uncertain point in the future. Is this the smartest way to live?

Modern life might just call for a new perspective — an updated mindset — where happiness is concerned.

Happiness is a mindset and a change in mindset may help you perceive more happiness. Create your own vision for success, make a plan, stay focused on your destination, and surround yourself with inspiration along the way! This shift in focus will help foster a feeling of happiness.

There’s little value in aiming at an idealized, vague vision of happiness “out there.” Since you can’t really quantify it, you’ll never know whether you’ve attained it.

Too often we imagine that there’s something just beyond our reach that could bring us happiness: a better relationship, better finances, or a thinner waist. However, everything you need to be happy is already within you. Build on that knowledge to expand your happiness.

Instead of seeking comforts, immerse yourself in engaging activities that have meaning for you — whether they’re creative, social, athletic, or professional. When you’re engrossed in a compelling challenge, or when the artist inside you becomes one with the day’s creative task, you’ll lose track of time and experience an unconscious (and deeply satisfying) state of flow. Many define happiness this way.

Don’t compare yourself to others. You’re not competing against other people; you’re supposed to be exactly where you are. Follow your own path without self-criticism, and share your dreams only with people who support your unique vision of success.

The older you get, the more you’ll look back and realize that external circumstances didn’t much matter or determine your happiness. It’s your thoughts that create your reality, and you’re the one in charge of your own happiness.

Who’s New

Nina Dinsdale assistant division chief, DBO’s Business, Office, and Security Services Branch

Nina Dinsdale has been appointed as the Division of Business Operations’ assistant division chief for the newly formed Business, Office, and Security Services Branch, which encompasses the functional areas of Business Services, Sacramento Building Operations Center and Statewide Security Team. 

Nina has been a valued member of the Caltrans leadership team since December 2020, leading the Sacramento Building Operations Center and Security teams. With more than 16 years of state service (13 years in business services and facilities management), Nina brings a strong commitment to providing exceptional customer service to both our internal and external business partners.

Before joining Caltrans, Nina began her career at CalPERS, where she managed business services, facilities management and space planning for the CalPERS Headquarters complex in Sacramento and seven regional offices. 

Nina received her bachelor of science degree from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, with a major in public relations. 

In her free time, Nina enjoys spending time with her family, her dog Jack, travelling, camping, and cooking for family and friends.

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Tarianna Perez, media CPRA coordinator, Headquarters Public Affairs

Tarianna Perez has joined Public Affairs as the Headquarters’ media CPRA (California Public Records Act) coordinator. Her responsibilities include statewide oversight on CPRA requests from the media, as well as being an integral part of ensuring consistent messaging.

Tarianna has a master’s degree in behavioral science gender equity from Sacramento State and completed her thesis on the K-12 experiences of LGBTQ+ men identifying as Mexican, Chicano and Latino.

Prior to state service, she was with Sacramento State for over three years as a communications coordinator, where she handled communications and marketing.

Driven by personal and professional growth, she is currently wrapping up her participation in Nueva Epoca, a program to increase leadership representation amongst Latinos, and will soon sit on a Sacramento County board.

Tarianna loves to participate in local pop-up events with her husband by making mini donuts, mini churros, and funnel cakes, along with heat pressing graphic T-shirts. She also loves to participate in 5-kilometer runs and half-marathon races and has completed two California International Marathons (CIM).

 Tarianna also enjoys hiking, adopting pets, and learning about planting.

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Gloria Roberts, District 7 director

Note: The following announcement was shared with Caltrans staff on June 30 by Chief Deputy Director Michael Keever.

Gloria Roberts has been appointed to be the new District 7 director. She had been serving as acting director.

Gloria excels in change management and strategic planning.  She has been instrumental in driving cultural change to embrace people, engagement and partnerships. 

She combines her passion for equity with sound business acumen to leverage a holistic approach to advancing transportation programs and projects that has accelerated the ability of District 7 to become more responsive to the needs of the communities within Los Angeles and Ventura counties.

Gloria began her career in the private sector in the health care, hospitality and logistics industries. 

Since joining Caltrans in 2007, Gloria has served in a variety of roles in District 12, District 7 and Headquarters, including business services manager, chief of Public Information & Governmental Affairs, deputy district director of Administration, acting EEO program manager, acting division chief of Safety and Management Services, and chief deputy district director.  In each of these roles, Gloria successfully led strategic planning initiatives that improved organizational excellence, business efficiencies, and safety and health. 

Gloria is a director-at-large for WTS LA, a member of the METRANS Advisory Board, and a member of CSU LA College of Engineering, Computer Science, and Technology (ECST) Dean’s Advisory Board.

 

Born and raised in Taiwan, Gloria emigrated to Southern California in the 1980s. She received her bachelor of science degree from Cornell University and her MBA from UC Davis.  Beyond the office, she enjoys running, reading, cooking, and spending time with her husband and two daughters.&

Obituaries

Arnold Lee Larson, retired surveying engineer

Note: The following obituary appeared in the Ukiah Daily Journal on May 21.

Retired surveying engineer Arnold Larson (also known as Sonny) passed away on March 16 with family by his side at Adventist Health Ukiah Valley.

He was 92.

Arnold was born on Feb. 3, 1931, to Arvid and Caroline Larson in Portland, Oregon. He and his siblings Shirley, Harvey and Francis were raised in nearby Aurora.

Arnold served in the U.S. Navy in the Korean War and was honorably discharged with medals.

Arnold met the love of his life, JoAnn, while working for Caltrans in Clearlake. They married in 1958 and settled in Ukiah in 1968 to raise their four children: Daniel, James, Kathryn and Kenneth.

Arnold was a surveying engineer by trade and was a part of the Caltrans team that built U.S. Highway 101 from the Oregon border to Santa Rosa. He worked in Construction and was a part of the building up of Northern California.

Arnold was everyone's go-to guy. If you were curious about anything, just ask Arnold. He loved God and he believed Jesus was His Son. If you knew Arnold, you had a friend. He will be forever missed by many. Arnold and JoAnn were laid to rest on March 21 at the family plot in Lower Lake Cemetery.

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Medha Mehta, retired staff services manager in District 4 Audiovisual/Graphics and Reprographics Services

Note: The following obituary was shared earlier this year by District 4.

Medha Mehta, a retired staff services manager in District 4 Audiovisual/Graphics and Reprographics Services, passed away peacefully at home surrounded by her family on March 27.

Medha received her bachelor’s degree in architecture from the Bombay University of India. She worked in the private sector for 15 years before joining Caltrans.

Medha began her career at Caltrans in 1991 as a delineator in Engineering Services and advanced her position as a senior delineator in 1993.

In 2001, she became the supervisor of Drafting Services in the Office of Engineering Services, Geotechnical Unit.

In 2003, she moved to the Division of Administration and supervised the Audiovisual, Graphics, and Reprographics branch. She enjoyed her leadership role and was an advocate for her staff.

Medha was a hands-on leader and a great mentor with a strong work ethic.

Medha worked in District 4 for over 24 years and retired in 2015.

Medha enjoyed spending her time in the company of friends and family. She was a baseball fan and regularly traveled to Arizona for spring training. She loved going to new places and extensively traveled with her husband, Tim, a retired engineer from Caltrans.

She led a life well-lived and took pride in her family’s success. Between trips and family gatherings, she spent time gardening, taking piano lessons and staying socially connected with District 4 colleagues. She was a loving and doting “nana” to her three grandchildren.

Medha is survived by her husband, Timir Mehta, son Salil, and daughter Namita and grandchildren, Maya, Malik and Shaan. She was a devoted wife, mother and Caltrans member and will be missed dearly.

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Clifford A. Rice Jr., retired civil engineer

Note: The following obituary appeared on the Cherokee Memorial website on March 9.

Clifford A. Rice Jr. died peacefully surrounded by his wife Carmen Rice, Stepson Adhemar Bonnetti (video call), stepdaughter Karen Bonnetti-Ramirez, and son-in-law Jorge Ramirez at St. Joseph's Hospital on March 9 in Stockton at the age of 78.

Cliff was born Dec. 30, 1944, to Aurora A. Marino Rice and Clifford A. Rice Sr. in Key West, Fla. He moved to Stockton at the age of 4 and since then made Stockton his home.

He was blessed with siblings, nephews, nieces, children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Cliff graduated from Linclon High School in 1963.  He went on to college at the University of Pacific, where he earned a degree in civil engineering.
He served in the U.S. Navy during Vietnam War and was awarded the National Defense Service Medal.

He started working at Caltrans in 1984 and retired in December 2009 after over 25 years of service.

Most of Cliff’s career at Caltrans was in Construction. He was the Construction senior engineer in Calaveras County. One of the projects he was most proud of was the Angels Camp Cal-4 Bypass.

Those who were fortunate to know him, found in him great support and a wealth of knowledge. He continued serving the public after his retirement as Dispute Resolution Board (DRB) member until 2021

He loved classic American muscle cars. He was proud and happy driving around his 1986 Buick and listening to the ’50s rock-and-roll.

His hobbies as a child included building model airplanes and ships as well as playing card games. He enjoyed jigsaw and crossword puzzles. Cliff began to play golf with his father and grandfather and continued until his health prohibited it.

He enjoyed watching Westerns, cop shows and classic movies, and was also an avid reader. Some of his favorites were “Star Wars” and “Star Trek” books and movies.

He was a loyal 49ers fan and looked forward to watching NFL games with his football buddies. 

Another passion of his was coin collection. He was an active member of the Delta Coin Club and Stanislas County Coin Club. His contributions were significant as well as instrumental to the success of these clubs.

From all his many hobbies and pastimes, what Cliff enjoyed to most was spending time in the company of his two adorable Shih Tzus who he named Obi (short for Obi-Wan Kenobi) and Chewy (short for Chewbacca).

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Ryan Bret Stiltz, senior bridge engineer

Senior Bridge Engineer Ryan Bret Stiltz, who was born on Jan. 17, 1972 in Fairfield, died on July 7 in Sacramento at the age of 51.

Ryan was an amazing colleague, teacher and friend,” fellow Senior Bridge Engineer Jason Chou wrote in an email to their colleagues on July 10. “I know everyone loved Ryan because of his down-to-earth personality. He had a great head on his shoulders. I know everyone who crossed paths with Ryan thought highly of him. Ryan was one of my best friends, and many of us thought the world of him.

"In many ways, Ryan Stiltz was like Captain America. Ryan had an amazing heart. Like a superhero, Ryan demonstrated empathy and kindness to others. He was genuinely a good person, a selfless kind soul. Ryan would always put others before himself. Ryan had strong morals. He sticks to his strong values, and he was never shy to admit when he is wrong. Like Cap, Ryan would bring the team together, and guide the PDT to engineering solutions in the best interest of each project.

"Ryan was inspiring and encouraging. Ryan was the one who motivated me to teach the Bridge Design Academy. He was the catalyst that made the Bridge Academy the success it is today. With our mindset of tackling our Caltrans succession planning, we have always looked multiple steps ahead to make sure we have strong future leaders who are passionate to teach the Bridge Design Academy, that one day the torch could be passed to the Next Gen.

"Together, let's keep our chins up high. Ryan would want us to continue to be the best version of ourselves. Keep the high level of integrity, dream and hopes for an amazing future through engineering and innovation. With great power, comes great responsibility. Like superheroes, we will continue to serve the society with our best abilities as civil engineers."

Ryan was predeceased by his daughter Emily. He is survived by his parents, Perry Lewis Stiltz III and Dianna Stiltz; his wife, Jennifer; his children, Jacob and A. Stiltz; and his brother, Perry Stiltz IV.